The Los Angeles Jewish Community Council said today assurances had been received from the Board of Education that no Jewish child would be penalized for absence on the opening day of the fall public school term which coincides with the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
The statement said that Ellis Jarvis, Superintendent of Schools, and the Board had “earnestly sought” to avoid the conflict but that efforts to change the date of school opening proved unworkable. The Council urged all Jewish children to report on September 11 and 12 for conferences with counselors to facilitate planning of each pupil’s class schedule.
Under arrangements worked out between the Board of Education and the Jewish Community Council, no Jewish child is obligated to report on the first two days of Rosh Hashanah. The Council added, however, that Jewish children should report, along with non-Jewish ones, for pre-scheduling and pre-registration. Parents may register children for first school attendance or enroll them in a different school any time after September 1.
Representatives of the Board of Rabbis and of the Community Relations Council expressed “deep regrets” to school officials about the conflict of dates but they refrained from insisting on a change in the school calendar, it was reported, because the Jewish leaders felt such a demand would endanger the Jewish community position opposing religious encroachments on state decisions.
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